Fence-post



(No Model.)

E. ROBERTSON & J. M. REESE, Jr.

FENCE POST.

No. 426,472. Patented Apr. 29, 1890.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVIN ROBERTSON AND JOHN M. REESE, JR., OF FAIRMOUNT, ILLINOIS.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,472, dated April29, 1890. Application filed December 18, 1889. Serial No. 884,174:- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWIN ROBERTSON and JOHN M. REESE, J12, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Fairmount, in the county of Vermilion andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFence-Posts; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infence-posts; and it has for its object, among others, to provide astrong and cheap post that shall be efficient and durable.

WVe form the post with a sharpened end to be driven into the ground witha transverse piece to enable it to better withstand wind and strain andto prevent it from being easily pulled up out of the ground. The portionof the post designed to remain above the ground is substantiallyU-shaped in cross-section, and is provided upon one edge with notches toreceive the wires and also with pivoted grips or fasteners for thewires.

The novelty resides in the peculiarities of construction of the post andin the combinations, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as morefully hereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and thenparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

This invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of ourimproved post. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof with the wires in place.Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line a: a; of Fig. 1, looking up. Fig.4 is a perspective view of one of the grippers removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates thelower portion of the post or that portion which is to be driven into theground. It is provided with a sharpened end, and below the ground isprovided with a transverse piece a, suitably held forms a very strongpost with little material. 7

The lower end of this upper portion embraces and is secured to the upperend of the lower portion by means of suitable bolts or rivets 1). Oneedge of this upper portion projects beyond the other, as shown in Fig.3, and in this edge are formed the notches c to receive the wires. Thesenotches incline inward and downward, as shown at the top of Fig. 1, and

in these notches the wires are designed to be seated.

O are the grippers or fasteners for the Wires. They consist each of alever or arm portion, the upper end of which is pivoted to the upperportion of the post and at its lower end is formed with a bifurcated ordoubled portion D, designed to embrace the edge of the post, and at itslower end is formed with a transverse recess cl to receive the wire. Thelower end of this doubled -over portion is rounded both above and belowthe said recess, as shown.

In practice after the post is set the wires are placed in their notchesin the edge of the upper portion of the post and the grippers are thenbrought down into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the rounded edgeabove the recess in the gripper engaging the wire and forcing it inwardand downward into the recess, the doubled portion holding by frictionalcontact with the edge of the post and firmly binding the wire in place.When it is desired to remove the wire, it is only necessary to turn upthe grippers, as indicated at the top of Fig. 1.

The parts may be formed of any suitable material-such, for instance, asBessemer steel, malleable iron, or any other material suited to thepurpose.

What we claim as new is 1. The fence-post composed of the upper andlower portions, the upper portion being substantially U-shaped incross-section, and one edge of the upper portion, and formed provided onone edge with notches to receive with a recess, as d, substantially asshown the wires, combined with pivoted gravityand described.

grippers on the post, and having a portion In testimony that we claimthe above We 1 5 embracing one edge of the post, substantially havehereunto subscribed our names in the as described. a presence of twowitnesses. v

2. The combination, with the post having a EDWVIN ROBERTSON.substantially U-shaped upper portion, one JOHN M. REESE, JR. edge ofwhich is provided with notches, of Witnesses: 10 the pivotedgravity-grippers on the post, and NM. C. GREGER,

provided with a doubled portion to embrace J. L. DOUGHERTY.

